There are 4 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2002 Toyota Tundrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The headlights and high beams are dim . When the high beams are on other cars oncoming are not affected as they never flash their lights because my high beams seem as though they are just headlights. Also the fact that the high beams shine like headlights, there is no option for brighter lighting which makes it hard to see far ahead. I live in a rural location off of a narrow highway with down slopes with water at the bottom on both sides of the highway where large wildlife such as deer are plentiful . Insufficient high beam lighting imposes unsafe travel conditions since the headlights are dim and the high beams are how the headlights should be leaving no option for brighter visibility. I noticed the lighting being dim years ago but I thought it was just something to do with my trucks lighting until I began searching online again for a remedy and found many other owners of the same year make and model with exactly the same issue. Therefore in conclusion perhaps is a manufacturer defect. My truck is the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned, it still runs great, I keep it well maintained and I intend to keep using it for as long as we both shall live. I am [XXX] and obviously my truck is over 20 years old and runs great, it would be terribly upsetting if an accident were to occur due to insufficient exterior lighting. I cannot remember exactly what it was I had previously contacted NHTSA regarding my truck , though the exterior lighting is of greater concern now. I noticed the dimness of the exterior lighting since I have been living in this location a lot because there are no street lights along the freeway nor highway as opposed to where I lived prior. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to express my concerns as I appreciate your time and consideration in this matter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I HAD RECALL FOR MY TUNDRA BED AND THERE WERE GOING TO RESOLVE THE RUST ISSUE AT NO CHARGE. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO BOBBY REHAL TOYOTA IN MECHANCISBURG PA. THEY BROKE A PART THAT WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL. THEY TOLD ME AND IF I WANTED MY TRUCK BACK I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I TRIED TO RESOLVE WITH BOBBY REHAL AND TOYOTA MAIN OFFICE AND THEY TOLD ME TO PAY IF I WANTED MY TRUCK AND THE PART THEY BROKE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I EXPLAINED I DIDN'T NEED OR WANT THIS RECALL BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS A NO COST RECALL BY LETTER. I PAID IT BUT NOW I JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL FOR AIRBAG BUT HOW CAN I TAKE MY TRUCK TO TOYOTA NOT KNOWING THE OUTCOME OF THE RECALL SO I MAY CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING BECAUSE I CANNOT BE SURE THEY WON'T MAKE ME PAY AGAIN FOR SOMETHING I DIDN'T WANT/NEED IN THE FIRST PLACE. THANKS. *JB
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA SR5. HEADLIGHT LENS MATERIAL HAS BECOME BLURRED AND MORE OPAQUE IN RECENT YEARS, CAUSING DRIVING AT NIGHT TO BE LESS ILLUMINATED AND MORE HAZARDOUS. THIS BEGAN DEVELOPING A FEW YEARS AGO, APPROXIMATELY 2005. I ATTEMPTED TO USE A LENS POLISHING PRODUCT, BUT THAT PRODUCED ONLY MARGINAL IMPROVEMENTS. THE LENSES CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE OVER TIME, AND IT IS ONLY THE HEADLIGHT LENSES WHILE THE SAME LENS MATERIAL IS CRYSTAL CLEAR OVER THE MARKER LIGHTS. THE LENS MATERIAL WAS POORLY DESIGNED FOR USE WITH HEADLIGHTS AND APPEARS TO REACT POORLY TO THE HIGHER HEAT PRODUCED FROM THE HEADLIGHT BULBS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
STOP LAMP SOCKET FAILURE. AT 1ST THE BULB WOULD STAY IN THE SOCKET AND WOULD ONLY FALL OUT EVERY SIX MONTHS OR SO. IN THE LAST 1/2 YEAR THE BULB WOULD FALL OUT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. MOST OF THE TIME THE BULB WOULD FALL OUT AND END UP LAYING IN THE LENSE CASING AND COULD BE PLUGGED BACK IN AND STILL WORK. THIS IS A REOCCURING PROBLEM IN THE TOYOTA TUNDRA. THEY HAD A RECALL FOR THE 2002 MODEL TUNDRA FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THAT RECALL # WAS SSC-Y01. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THE PLUG WAS TOTALLY CUT OFF AND REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRENTY BUT WITH A $50 DEDUCTABLE THAT I HAD TO PAY. MY SERVICE MAN DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE 2000 RECALL, BUT ANOTHER SERVICE MAN INDICATED TO ME THAT IS WAS A PROBLEM IN PREVIOUS YEARS AND GAVE THE 2000 RECALL INFORMATION ABOVE. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. THE EXACT WORDING FOR 2000 SSC-Y01 TUNDRA STOP LAMP RECALL SAID THE FOLLOWING " THE PLASTIC BULB SOCKET IN CERTAIN REAR COMBINATION LAMP (INCLUDES STOP LAMP) MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MOLDED PROPERLY IN CERTAIN 2000 MODEL YEAR TUNDR'S. THIS COULD CAUSE A REDUCTION OF BULB RETENSION FORCE IN USE. IN THE WORST CASE, THE BULB COULD FALL OUT OF THE SOCKET RESULTING IN AN INOPERATIVE STOP LAMP." THIS IS EXACTULLY WHAT OCCURRED WITH MY STOP LIGHT BULB. WHAT THEY DO NOT INDICATE IS THE WOREST THING COULD HAPPEN WOULD SOMEONE COULD REAR END YOU SINCE THE LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING WHICH COULD BE FATAL. YOU MAKE THE CALL.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026